In a
regulatory statement the bank clearly couldn't contain its
outrage after it was charged €1 billion (£726 million, $107.5
billion) for bail in the meantime.

HSBC posted the following statement (emphasis ours):

On 8 April 2015, HSBC Holdings plc was informed that it has been
placed under formal criminal investigation ('mise en examen') by
the French magistrates in connection with the conduct of HSBC's
Swiss Private Bank in 2006 and 2007 for alleged tax-related
offenses. A EUR1bn bail was imposed.

HSBC Holdings plc believes the French magistrates' decision is
without legal basis and the bail is unwarranted and excessive. It
intends to appeal and will defend itself vigorously in any future
proceedings.

The information, which the
French authorities acted upon, stems from the former HSBC
employee and whistleblower Herve Falciani.

In 2008, he handed over 100,000
HSBC client accounts to French authorities in 2008. In total, the
accounts are worth £78 billion in assets. Since then, France,
Spain and the UK have recovered over £500 million in tax from the
data.

On February 18, police raided HSBC's Switzerland office in Geneva
while the Swiss prosecution office confirmed it was investigating
the subsidiary and "persons unknown for suspected aggravated
money laundering."

HSBC's Swiss Private Bank is already under investigation in
Germany and France for tax-related offences.